Flag for rural mail boxes



May 6, 193(1)- L. J. BEEMAN 1,757,162

FLAG FOR RURAL MAIL BOXES Filed Deb. 6, 1927 Patented May 6, 1930' tnoN J; BEEMAILfO'F LAncAsT n, NEW YORK FLAG role RURAL ivminisoxiis Application filed December 6, 1927;. T ser al No, 238,181.

This invention relates to a flag designed primarily for use in connection with rural mailboxes, oneof the objects being to provide a device of this character which willbe held by gravity in either of two extreme po sitions, namely, retracted or extended.

A further object is to provide simple and etlicient means for guiding thefiag dur ng -1tS movement to retracted or extended pos1-- '1 tion. I e

\Vith the foregoing a'ndother objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds the invention resides in the combi-' nation and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction heremafter'described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention;

herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings, i

Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of. a mail box carrying the flag in retracted p0 sit-ion thereon.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2, Figure 1. Figure 3 is a view similar tofFigure 1 showing the flag moved to extended or active po- 33 sition. v

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 designates a portion of a rural mail box and a guideQ in the form of a yoke having inturned sides isconnected to thebox thus free to turn about the bolt.

mounted at 7 on the box 1. lever 6 is pivotally connected, as at 8, to that end of the shank 4 remote from the flag 5. The other end of the lever constitutes a handle whereby said lever can beactuated readily.

' Theparts are so proportioned that when the flag is retracted, as shown in Figure 1, the connected end portions of lever 6 and shank 4 will rest upon a stop lug 9 which. is fastened to the box 1. Another stop lug 10 is fastened to the box above the lug 9 atone by a bolt 3 or the like so that the guide is In this. guide is slidably mounted the shank t of a flag 5 and an operating lever 6 is pivotally One end of this;

side of theshank 4 and is so located thatwhen the lever 6 is shifted in thedirection indicated by thearrow in Figure 1, it will thrust upwarclly against the to slide longitudinally within the guide 2,

shank 4, cause saidshank and swing the connected ends of the lever and shank upwardly past the dead center and against the stop lug 10.; While thus located the flag will be extended laterally beyond the box as shown in Figure '3 where it'will be held by gravity. r

It will of course be apparent that during the actuation of the flag'the guide 2 will swing about its point of connection with the 7 box.

What is claimed 1. The combination with a mail box or the like, of a guide pi votally connected to said box, a lever pivotally connected to the box,

a flag, a shank extending therefrom and pivotally connected to the lever and slidable within the guide, and stop means on the box atopposite sides ofthe lever for limiting the movement of the lever and shank when in either of two extreme positions at opposite sides of the dead center, thereby to hold the flag in either extended or retracted position relative tothe box to which it is connected.

2. The combination with a mail box or the like, of. a guide yoke, means for connecting the yoke to said box for rotary motion, an actuating lever pivotally connected to the box, a flag, a shank extending from the flag and'slidable in and'movable with the yoke, a pivotal connection between the shank and lever, and stops at for limiting the m shank past a dead tions respectively, in either extended" tive to the box.

op'positeisides of the lever ovement of the lever and center in opposite direc- 1 or retracted'position rela-.

ture.

I LEON J. BEEMAN. 

